Obituary for Terry Tervo (Kiri)
Terry (Kiri) Tervo, 76, of Thunder Bay, passed away on May 31, 2022, in St. Joseph’s Hospital following a severe stroke.
Born on October 9, 1945 in Finland, Terry united in marriage to Matti Tervo in April 1967. Shortly after their wedding, they came to the Thunder Bay area to begin their new life together. The births of their children, Jukka and Lisa, completed their family. While Matti worked in the forestry industry, Terry was a doting stay-at-home mom when the kids were young. When the kids were a bit older, she ventured into working outside the home. She worked in various jobs including the Current River Bakery, the Avila Centre, Treasure House, but spent most of her career in hospital housekeeping, including Port Arthur General, McKellar General, and then TBRHSC, retiring in 2006. After retirement she returned to volunteer at the hospital for many years continuing to share her compassion and caring for others.
Terry found inner serenity within nature. She would hike in Centennial Park for hours, nearly everyday, and was usually accompanied by her grand-dog Skidder. She loved interacting with all types of wildlife, from fox and birds to deer and even a family of lynx. She spent many summers recently caring for Monarch caterpillars on their journey to become beautiful butterflies, inspiring many others to do the same. Because of her talent for feeding animals out of her hand, she was sometimes referred to as “Snow White.” She would not hesitate to nurse any creature back to health or care for them during the cold winter months. Her compassion for all things great and small knew no limits.
Terry was an avid reader of a little bit of everything. She cherished the opportunities to travel to the states to visit her daughter and her daughter’s family. She also kept an garden full of pollinator plants, flowers, and vegetables. Her culinary talents were second-to-none, and every time her son Jukka traveled out of town, she could be counted on to bring food to his wife and children so they had some of Mummu's amazing cooking to eat.
Terry will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 55 years, Matti; her two children and their families: Jukka & Jen Tervo, their sons Kieran and Kale and their American Border Collie/best hiking buddy Skidder, and Lisa & Jason Carlson, their children Emma, Jac, and Elliana and many many friends in Thunder Bay and extended family in Finland.
Family will privately gather in her honour at a later date. For those wishing to celebrate Terry's life, the family encourages you to take a loved one for a hike/walk, feed a bird, save a butterfly, cook a meal for someone you love or show compassion and caring to one another. Also, call your mum and/or dad if you are blessed to still have them.
Kindly omit flowers; the family encourages contributions to the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society, which will help carry on Terry’s enduring wish for all animals to be loved and cared for.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.sargentandson.com
Born on October 9, 1945 in Finland, Terry united in marriage to Matti Tervo in April 1967. Shortly after their wedding, they came to the Thunder Bay area to begin their new life together. The births of their children, Jukka and Lisa, completed their family. While Matti worked in the forestry industry, Terry was a doting stay-at-home mom when the kids were young. When the kids were a bit older, she ventured into working outside the home. She worked in various jobs including the Current River Bakery, the Avila Centre, Treasure House, but spent most of her career in hospital housekeeping, including Port Arthur General, McKellar General, and then TBRHSC, retiring in 2006. After retirement she returned to volunteer at the hospital for many years continuing to share her compassion and caring for others.
Terry found inner serenity within nature. She would hike in Centennial Park for hours, nearly everyday, and was usually accompanied by her grand-dog Skidder. She loved interacting with all types of wildlife, from fox and birds to deer and even a family of lynx. She spent many summers recently caring for Monarch caterpillars on their journey to become beautiful butterflies, inspiring many others to do the same. Because of her talent for feeding animals out of her hand, she was sometimes referred to as “Snow White.” She would not hesitate to nurse any creature back to health or care for them during the cold winter months. Her compassion for all things great and small knew no limits.
Terry was an avid reader of a little bit of everything. She cherished the opportunities to travel to the states to visit her daughter and her daughter’s family. She also kept an garden full of pollinator plants, flowers, and vegetables. Her culinary talents were second-to-none, and every time her son Jukka traveled out of town, she could be counted on to bring food to his wife and children so they had some of Mummu's amazing cooking to eat.
Terry will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 55 years, Matti; her two children and their families: Jukka & Jen Tervo, their sons Kieran and Kale and their American Border Collie/best hiking buddy Skidder, and Lisa & Jason Carlson, their children Emma, Jac, and Elliana and many many friends in Thunder Bay and extended family in Finland.
Family will privately gather in her honour at a later date. For those wishing to celebrate Terry's life, the family encourages you to take a loved one for a hike/walk, feed a bird, save a butterfly, cook a meal for someone you love or show compassion and caring to one another. Also, call your mum and/or dad if you are blessed to still have them.
Kindly omit flowers; the family encourages contributions to the Thunder Bay & District Humane Society, which will help carry on Terry’s enduring wish for all animals to be loved and cared for.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.sargentandson.com